Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is getting some bad news. Dahlin is getting fined $5,000 by the NHL for high-sticking in a game against the Florida Panthers, per Daily Faceoff. The penalty is the highest possible punishment allowable under the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Sabres were trailing 3-2 at the time of the incident.
The Sabres and Panthers battled on Monday, with the Panthers winning 5-2. The high-sticking incident occurred in the third period of the game, when Dahlin made contact with Panther Anton Lundell. At the moment, Dahlin was assessed a penalty for slashing.
The money goes to the NHL Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund, per NHL.com. It’s uncertain at time of writing if there will be any further punishment against the veteran defenseman.
Rasmus Dahlin is a key role player for the Sabres
Dahlin is a physical defenseman from Sweden who actually was enjoying a solid game against the Panthers before the penalty. He had scored a goal only a little bit before the high-sticking incident.
On the season, the defenseman has six points. His production includes five assists, as well as a plus-minus of +2. Dahlin is also averaging just under 24 minutes of ice time per game.
The defenseman has played his entire NHL career in Buffalo. He joined the club in the 2018-19 campaign, after being selected first overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. The defenseman has posted 298 career points, while playing in 446 career games. Dahlin has more than 230 assists in his career.
In recent years, Buffalo has found a lot of success with Dahlin on the ice. His plus-minus has gotten much better following the 2021-22 campaign. That season, he posted a -22 in that category. He improved that stat to +12 the following season, and then finished last year at a -3 in plus-minus.
Buffalo holds a 4-5-1 record on the season. The team is next to last currently in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division, with nine points. The Sabres next play the New York Islanders on Friday.
